SUBJECT: Jammed Door Forcible Opening
TOPIC: Jammed Door Set-up Technique
OBJECTIVE: Given a simulated jammed door on a roof-resting vehicle, the rescuer will demonstrate a single-rescuer technique for setting up and opening up the door
TASK: The rescuer shall utilize only a power spreader tool to set up and open up a simulated jammed door of a roof-resting vehicle.
During vehicle rescue training, personnel become familiar with a variety of techniques for setting up a jammed door for opening either at the latch or at the hinges. The common use of the irons, squeezing the door with a power spreader or even the “vertical crush” technique are effective procedures when preparing to open a door with a power spreader.
Because not all crash-damaged vehicles end in an upright position at a rescue incident, personnel must be able to set up any jammed door regardless of what position the door winds up in. This University of Extrication article looks at how we should train on setting up a jammed door when the vehicle is roof-resting. Department training officers as well as vehicle rescue instructors should be teaching quick, tricks-of-the-trade procedures such as this to their personnel. The “real world” should simply be a repeat of experiences already gained through training!
TASK: The rescuer shall utilize only a power spreader tool to set up and open up a simulated jammed door of a roof-resting vehicle.
Read Part 2 here.
